Portable evaporative cooling apparatus

ABSTRACT

A portable evaporative cooling system includes a fan for generating a path of air, a water pump for dispersing water in the path of air generated by the fan, and a water cooler for storing the water. The water cooler has an opening to permit the water pump to draw water therefrom. Support structure supports the fan and water pump and is sized and dimensioned to cooperatively engage the water cooler. The pump pumps the liquid from the cooler in a substantially non-pulsating manner, thereby providing a substantially continuous misting.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending applicationU.S. Ser. No. 09/140,567 filed Aug. 27, 1998.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an evaporative cooling apparatus and,more particularly, to a portable evaporative cooling apparatus thatincludes a standard water cooler and an adapter for mounting the coolingapparatus to the water cooler.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Evaporative coolers are used in a variety of settings includingfactories, warehouses, workshops and agricultural structures, as well asautomobiles, homes, offices, trailers and at the sidelines of sportingevents. Evaporative cooling improves workplace productivity by keepingworkers cool in the workplace which, in turn, reduces heat-relatedillness and employee turn-over, particularly in the summer months and/orin hotter climates. It also improves performance of sports players bykeeping players cool or preventing heat exhaustion in sports that demandextended periods of physical exertion.

Evaporative coolers require minimal parts and are relatively simple tomanufacture and maintain, making them an attractive alternative toconventional air conditioning and mechanical refrigeration systems.Because of their simple construction, the cost of acquiring andoperating evaporative coolers is considerably lower than that ofconventional air conditioning systems. Moreover, evaporative coolers areespecially useful in outside environments, whether open, such as anathletic field, or enclosed, for example, a factory or the like, whereasrefrigeration systems in such environments are comparativelyinefficient, if not impractical. Evaporative coolers are also economicalsince they use minimal amounts of energy and environmentally safe sincethey have no CFCs or HCFCs.

The versatility and other advantages of evaporative coolers have causedmanufacturers to explore ways of making them more attractive to a widerrange of consumers. One way of doing this is by making evaporativecoolers more portable. Heretofore, attempts at improving portabilityhave included, for example, reducing the size of and combining thecomponents of the evaporative cooler into a smaller and more compactsystem. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 2,769,620, which is illustrative of atypical portable evaporative cooler. Other attempts have includedself-containing certain portions of the evaporative cooler, for example,by providing a water source that is remote from, or a separate componentof, the evaporative cooler.

Yet another attempt to provide a portable evaporative cooling system isdisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,613,371 entitled, “Method and Apparatus forMisting Vehicle Occupants.” The '371 patent integrates an evaporativecooling system into a golf cart having the fluid reservoir and othercomponents integrated within the golf cart body. A disadvantage of thesystem disclosed in the '371 patent is the use of an accumulator systemand accompanying solenoid valve. The accumulator is a device which trapsair to store energy for supplying water under a substantially constantpressure. The accumulator therefore is implemented to reduce the pulsingof fluid to the mist nozzles caused by the pump. The inclusion of anaccumulator and accompanying solenoid further increases the cost andcomplexity of the system and provides a potential reliability problemsince the accumulator reservoir is often an inflatable diaphragm whichmay puncture or leak during the rugged operation of the golf cart.Alternatively, the accumulator reservoir is a rigid tank whichdisadvantageously increases the size of the system, making it difficultto incorporate the system into various types or vehicles orapplications.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a portable evaporative cooling systemcomprising a fan section and a base section. The fan section providescooled air and the base section permits the fan section to be installedin or onto a variety of different size conventional water and/or foodcoolers.

According to one aspect of the invention, a portable evaporative coolingapparatus for retrofitting with a water cooler is provided. The coolingapparatus is characterized by a fan for generating a path of air, aspraying system for dispersing water in the path of air generated by thefan for evaporation thereof, and a universal support structure forsupporting the fan and spraying system, the support structure beingsized and dimensioned to cooperatively engage the water cooler.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the supportstructure is sized and dimensioned to cooperatively engage an opening inthe water cooler. As preferred, the support structure includes a housingand a base portion disposed below the housing, the housing supportingthe fan and the base portion being sized and dimensioned tocooperatively engage the water cooler. Still more preferably, the baseportion includes a plug shape portion, at least a portion of which fitsinto an opening of the water cooler. In particular, the plug shapeportion may comprise an inverted frustoconical shape portion that isadapted to fit into a round shape opening of the water cooler.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the base portionincludes a shoulder that rests on a perimeter of an opening of the watercooler.

According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the sprayingsystem includes a water pump in fluid communication with the watercooler for drawing water therefrom. Preferably, the spraying systemincludes one or more misting nozzles disposed downstream of the fan andin the path of air generated therefrom.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the coolingsystem includes a pump which provides fluid to the one or more nozzlesin a substantially non-pulsating manner. Therefore the present inventioneliminates the need for an accumulator and solenoid, thus greatlysimplifying and reducing the cost of the system over the prior art.According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the pumpoperates in a substantially non-pulsating mode by use of a bypass valveassociated with the pump. The bypass valve operates to pass fluid fromthe pump inlet to the pump outlet when the outlet pressure increasesabove a predetermined level, thus maintaining the outlet fluid pressurerelatively constant.

According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the sprayingsystem includes a manifold and one or more nozzles extending therefrom,wherein the manifold and nozzles are attached to a radially extendingsupport structure to permit radial adjustment thereof. Preferably, thereare a plurality of nozzles and the plurality of nozzles are equallyspaced relative to a cross sectional area defined by the path of airgenerated by the fan. The manifold preferably conveys the water in equalamounts to the nozzles.

According to another aspect of the invention, a portable evaporativecooling apparatus for retrofitting with any of a variety of differentsize water coolers is provided. The cooling apparatus is characterizedby a fan for generating a path of air and a plurality of misting nozzlesdisposed downstream of the fan for dispersing water in the path of airgenerated from the fan for evaporating the water. A housing supports thefan and plurality of nozzles. A water pump pumps water from the watercooler to the plurality of nozzles. A universal base portion supportsthe water pump. The base portion is disposed below and connected to thehousing and is sized and dimensioned to cooperatively engage any of thevariety of different size water coolers.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, a portable evaporativecooling system is provided. The cooling system is characterized by awater cooler having an opening and means for providing cooling. Thecooling means is operative to draw water from the water cooler. A plugis adapted to fit into the opening of the cooler and connect the coolingmeans thereto.

The present invention provides several advantages over known portablecooling apparatuses. The cooling apparatus of the present invention isuniversally useable with a variety of different sized water coolers. Thecooling apparatus is separate from the water cooler and, therefore,simplifies transportation of the components by allowing them to betransported separately. Because of its universality, the coolingapparatus of the present invention may be used in a variety ofapplications and environments, including both indoor and outdoorsettings, to achieve convenient and easy-to-set-up cooling.

Although the invention is shown and described with respect to one ormore preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that equivalents andmodifications will occur to others skilled in the art upon the readingand understanding of the specification. The present invention includesall such equivalents and modifications.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic side elevational view of a portable evaporativecooler apparatus in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic front elevational view of the evaporative coolerapparatus of FIG. 1; and

FIGS. 3a-3 c are diagrams illustrating in greater detail the pumpaccording to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now in detail to the drawings, an evaporative coolingapparatus in accordance with the present invention is designatedgenerally by reference numeral 10. The cooling apparatus 10 includes anupper fan section 12 and a lower universal base, or adapter, section 14.The fan section 12 provides the cooling function of the apparatus 10.The base section 14 supports the fan section 12 and is adapted to bereleasably mounted to a standard-sized, easily available water or foodcooler such as used, for example, at picnics or on the sidelines ofsporting events. As shown in the illustrated exemplary embodiment, theuniversal base section 14 forms an inverted frustoconical shaped bottomportion that will easily seat within a variety of different sized barreltype water coolers having a round shaped opening. According to thepresent invention, the evaporative cooling apparatus 10 may be used inconnection with any number of existing water or food coolers, making thecooling apparatus 10 universally applicable in environments in whichthose coolers are commonly used. The evaporative cooling apparatus 10 isdescribed in greater detail below.

Referring then to FIG. 1, the fan section 12 of the cooling apparatus 10includes a protective housing 16 that has an upstream, air intake end 18where ambient air is drawn into the housing 16, and a downstream, ordischarge, end 20 where cooled air is discharged from the housing 16.The housing 16 preferably is constructed of a durable, yet corrosionresistant material such as polyethylene or some other suitable polymericmaterial. As preferred, the housing 16 is cylindrically shaped and hasan internal diameter of slightly greater than 12 inches.

The housing 16 supports a fan, or blower 22, therein preferably locatedat its upstream end 18 and a spraying device 24 at its downstream end20. In the illustrated embodiment it will be appreciated that the fan 22pushes air through the housing 16 through a “water screen” emitted bythe spraying device 24 whereby, as described in greater detail below,the air is cooled. In an alternative embodiment, the fan 22 may bedisposed at the downstream end 20 and the spraying device 24 at theupstream end 18 so that the fan 22 draws, or pulls, the air through thewater screen and the cooled air through the housing 16. Such analternative is contemplated as falling within the scope of the presentinvention.

The fan 22 is preferably constructed of materials that are resistant tomoisture. The fan 22 includes a plurality of blades and has an overallblade width of about 12 inches so as to provide sufficient operatingclearance between the fan 22 and the internal wall of the housing 16.The fan 22 includes a fan motor that may be a multi-speed or variablespeed motor depending on the desired flexibility in the volumetric flowrate of a particular cooling application. The fan motor is preferablypowered by 110 VAC line power although any suitable source of power maybe used, for example, a DC battery, preferably a deep-cycle battery thatcan be charged. In this regard, a battery may be particularly useful ata campsite or athletic field where oftentimes a 110 VAC power outlet isnot readily accessible. Consequently, the fan motor may be either an ACor a DC motor, as desired.

As shown in FIG. 2, the spraying device 24 preferably includes aplurality of misting nozzles 26 and a manifold 28. The misting nozzles26 are disposed at the downstream end 20 of the housing 16 and, as shownin the preferred illustrated embodiment, there are four equally spacednozzles 26. The manifold 28 and nozzles 26 are attached to a radiallyextending support structure 29 to permit radial adjustment thereof or toprovide for an additional or different sized manifold 28 and/or nozzles26. As preferred, the nozzles 26 generally are disposed around thecircumference of the housing 16 and directed slightly radially inwardlyso as to generate a uniform dispersion or screen of water in front ofthe discharge end 20 of the cooling apparatus 10.

The manifold 28 extends substantially around the circumference of thehousing 16 and conveys the water in equal amounts to the nozzles 26. Thenozzles 26 inject or distribute the water preferably in the form of finewater droplets, and even more preferably in the form of a mist, into theair flow path generated by the fan 22, which causes the water tointermix with the air. The resulting mixture is a substantiallyevaporated air/water mixture that, when discharged from the coolingapparatus 10, cools an area or a subject in the flow path which extendsoutwardly from the discharge end 20 of the cooling apparatus 10.

The water, which may be, for example, tap water or fresh lake water, iscommunicated to the misting nozzles 26 via a misting line 30. Themisting line 30 is preferably made of a vinyl material such as, forexample, the material used for a standard garden hose, to provide flexin the misting line 30. The misting line 30 is connected to a water pump32 that draws water from an intake conduit 34 in fluid communicationwith a water source (not shown), such as the barrel type coolerdescribed above. In the illustrated embodiment, the water pump 32 isconnected to the base section 14 although it will be appreciated thatthe pump 32 could alternatively be connected to the fan section 12, thisalternative being contemplated as falling within the scope of thepresent invention. Like the fan 22, the water pump 32 is preferablypowered by 110 VAC line power but may be powered by a DC battery. Thewater pump 32 is preferably a ¼ horsepower pump and operates at apressure of about 60-70 psi.

The intake conduit 34, like the misting line 30, is preferably made of avinyl material to provide flex in the conduit 34. As shown in theillustrated embodiment, the intake conduit 34 extends from the watersource to the water pump 32. A filter 34 preferably is disposed insidethe intake conduit 34 to filter the water communicated therethrough.

The pump 32 according to a preferred embodiment of the present inventionis illustrated in FIG. 3a. The pump 32 has an inlet 150 and an outlet152, wherein a fluid pressure at the outlet is greater than at the inlet150. The pump 32 also includes a bypass valve 154 in an external bypasspath 156. Alternatively, however, the bypass valve 154 may be locatedinternally within the pump 32. The pump 32 is preferably amulti-chambered pump which distributes the fluid at the inlet 150 in,for example, three separate chambers and sequentially pumps the fluidfrom the chambers to the outlet 152 per stroke of the pump 32. The pump32 has an automatic shut-off at a predetermined outlet pump pressure(e.g., about 80-100 PSI) which causes the pump 32 to turn off when apressure in the pump 32 exceeds the predetermined level. Since the pump32 is capable of providing about 300 PSI before its motor stops, and thepump 32 is driving the nozzles 24 which have a modest flow rate of, forexample, about 0.5-0.75 gallon/hour, the pressure at the outlet 152increases, causing the pump 32 to turn off when the predeterminedshut-off pressure threshold is reached. After the pressure at the outlet152 decreases, the pump 32 automatically turns back on. Macroscopicallythen, the fluid at the outlet 152 appears to be pulsating which isundesirable. The bypass valve 154 operates to substantially reduce oreliminate the pulsing at the outlet 152 in the following manner.

The bypass valve 154 has a threshold bypass pressure which is preferablyless than the desired operating fluid pressure (e.g., about 45 PSI). Asthe pressure at the outlet 152 increases toward the cut-off pressure,the threshold bypass pressure threshold is reached, at which time thebypass valve 154 opens and provides a direct fluid flow path from theinlet 150 to the outlet 152 via the bypass path 156. The bypass valve154 is preferably designed to fully open at the desired operating fluidpressure (e.g., about 60 PSI) at which point the fluid provided to thenozzles 24 is provided primarily through the bypass valve 154 while thefluid within the pump 32 recirculates internally. Because the fluid flowis through the bypass valve 154, the cut-off pressure is not reached andthe pump 32 no longer automatically turns on and off in a periodicmanner. Thus the pulsation at the outlet 152 is reduced or eliminatedaltogether.

FIGS. 3b and 3 c are a perspective view and a cross section view of anexemplary pump 32 according to the present invention. Such a pump 32 isdescribed in a substantial amount of detail in, for example, U.S. Pat.No. 4,610,605 entitled “Triple Discharge Pump” which is incorporated byreference herein in its entirety. The pump 32 of FIG. 3b includes theinlet 150 and the outlet 152. The pump 32 is driven by a motor 160 whichis controlled by a pressure switch 162 to activate and deactivate themotor 160 based on the pressure at the outlet 152, as described above inconjunction with FIG. 3a. A bypass valve (not shown) is locatedinternally within the pump 32 between the inlet and the outlet 152 suchthat when the bypass valve is closed, the pump 32 operates in anon-bypass mode and the fluid passes from the inlet to the outletthrough the three chambers. When the bypass valve is open, a leak existsbetween the inlet 150 and the outlet 152 and fluid passes therethrough.

The pump 32, according to an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention, is illustrated in greater detail in FIG. 3c. The pump 32 is athree chambered pump which is driven by an output shaft 170 of the motor160. The pump 32 has three internal inlet valves and one common outletvalve and the valves are positioned to check one another when inoperation. The pump 32 creates a void in each chamber by means of a pairof bearings 172 and a wobbler assembly 174 that nutates with the shaft170 which flexes a diaphragm 176 to create a void in one of the inletchambers 178. Atmospheric pressure then pushes fluid into the inletchamber 178 and the inlet valve associated with the chamber 178 closes;the fluid is trapped until the wobbler assembly 174 nutates which inturn forces the fluid into an outlet chamber 180 and then into a commonoutlet chamber 182. This occurs separately in three chambers per onerotation of a shaft 170 driven by the motor 160.

According to the present invention, a bypass valve (not shown) isutilized in the pump of FIG. 3c. In such an exemplary arrangement, theoutlet valve hole for each chamber leading to the common outlet chamber182 is sealed with a poppet which is held in place by a spring. Theforce or spring rate of the spring thus determines the bypass pressureat which the bypass valve opens. The bypass valve is activated by theoutlet pressure. When the outlet pressure matches the spring force, thepoppet begins to lift off its seat, thus providing a direct leak betweenthe inlet 150 and the outlet 152 of the pump 32. When the bypass valveis utilized, the pressure switch 162 of FIG. 3b is not activated to turnthe pump off and the fluid is provided to the outlet 152 in asubstantially continuous, non-pulsating manner. Thus the pump 32 of thepresent invention greatly simplifies and reduces the cost of the coolingsystem by eliminating a need for an accumulator.

Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 2, in operation, the fan 22 pushesambient air through the housing 16 to the downstream end 20 where it isdischarged outwardly therefrom. Meanwhile, water is drawn from the watersource via the water pump 32 and communicated to the misting line 30,the manifold 28, and to the nozzles 26, where the water is injected asfine water droplets into the ambient air flow path generated by the fan22. The fine water droplets or mist are evaporated into the ambient airflow path thereby causing evaporation of the water which, in turn, coolsthe flowing air.

Not being bound by theory, the temperature and humidity of the incomingambient air will affect the rate at which the water is absorbed into theair. In this regard, ambient air will cool more rapidly and in greaterquantities by evaporation in dry air than by evaporation in air with arelatively higher humidity. The temperature of the water will also havean effect on the discharge temperature of the cooled air. Thus, hotterwater will slow down the evaporation process whereas colder water, forexample, ice water, will speed up the evaporation process and providecooler air. In this regard, it is advantageous to obtain the water froma water source that is maintained at a cool temperature.

Referring more closely now to the base, or adapter, section 14 of theevaporative cooling apparatus 10, it is seen that the base section 14preferably includes a plug shape, or inverted frustoconical shape bottomportion 36 and a disc shape upper portion 38 extending slightlyoutwardly from the bottom portion 36 so as to form a circumferentialshoulder 40. Because of its shape, the bottom portion 36 will easilyseat within, or “wedge” into, a variety of different sized conventionalbarrel type water and/or food coolers having a round shaped opening. Ifdesired, the shoulder 40 may be sized and dimensioned so that it restson a perimeter of the opening of the water cooler.

Of course, the base section 14 may be sized and dimensioned according toany type of standard sized water cooler and need not be limited tocoolers having round shaped openings. For example, the base section 14may comprise a generally rectangular shape bottom portion and a slightlywider upper portion. Preferably the bottom portion would include a taperto permit it to be installed in a variety of generally rectangular shapewater coolers having a rectangular shape opening. To this end, it willbe appreciated that alternative size base sections 14 may be employed toaccomplish the object of the invention of mating the base section 14 toan “every-day” water cooler to form a portable evaporative coolingapparatus and such alternatives are contemplated as falling within thescope of the present invention.

Because the base section 14 may be used universally with a variety ofdifferent sized water coolers, a user can select an appropriately sizedwater cooler to fit the cooling requirements of a particular use ofapplication. For example, the operating time of the evaporative coolingapparatus 10, we well as the frequency at which the water cooler isrefilled, will be a function of the size and/or capacity of the watercooler. Thus, for longer periods of use, or use during the daytime, arelatively larger size water cooler may be used and, likewise, if ashorter operating time is desired, a relatively smaller size watercooler may be employed.

The use of a water and/or food cooler as a water source for the portableevaporative cooling apparatus 10 in accordance with the presentinvention provides advantages over previous cooling apparatuses. Inparticular, for example, a water cooler is self-contained, permitting itto be separately transported from the remainder of the evaporativecooling apparatus 10. This may be desirable, for example, during heavyuse of the cooling apparatus 10 wherein the water source must befrequently replenished. In addition, a water and/or food cooler isadapted to keep the water therein at a cool temperature, or at least ata constant temperature. Storing the water in a water cooler may alsoprevent spillage during transportation thereof since most conventionalcoolers are equipped with a lid or the like.

Referring again to the Figures in general, together the base section 14and fan section 12 form a support structure for the evaporative coolingapparatus 10. As preferred, the fan section 12 is connected to the basesection 14 via suitable connecting fasteners, for example, a pair ofparallel support members 42 disposed adjacent the fan section 12 andextending downward to the base section 14 for connection thereto.Preferably the support members 42 are fixedly connected to the basesection 14 and pivotally connected to the fan section 12 to permit thedownstream end 20 of the fan section 12 to be raised and lowered asneeded to control the direction of cooled air flow discharged from thecooling apparatus 10.

As can be appreciate by the foregoing, the present invention provides aportable and universally applicable evaporative cooling apparatus 10.The versatility of the cooling apparatus 10 enables it to be used in avariety of applications and environments, including both indoor andoutdoor settings, to achieve convenient and easy-to-set-up cooling.

Although the invention has been shown and described with respect tocertain preferred embodiments, equivalent alterations and modificationswill occur to others skilled in the art upon reading the understandingthis specification and the annexed drawings. In particular regard to thevarious functions performed by the above described integers (components,assemblies, devices, compositions, etc.), the terms (including areference to a “means”) used to describe such integers are intended tocorrespond, unless otherwise indicated, to any integer which performsthe specified function of the described integer (i.e., that isfunctionally equivalent), even though not structurally equivalent to thedisclosed structure which performs the function in the hereinillustrated exemplary embodiment or embodiments of the invention. Inaddition, while a particular feature of the invention may have beendescribed above with respect to only one of several illustratedembodiments, such feature may be combined with one or more otherfeatures of the other embodiments, as may be desired and advantageousfor any given or particular application.

What is claimed is:
 1. A portable evaporative cooling system,comprising: a fan for generating a path of air; a spraying system fordispersing water in the path of air generated by the fan for evaporationthereof; a water cooler for storing the water, the water cooler havingan opening to permit the spraying system to draw water therefrom; and auniversal support structure for supporting the fan and spraying system,the support structure being sized and dimensioned to cooperativelyengage the water cooler.
 2. A portable evaporative cooling system as setforth in claim 1, wherein the support structure is sized and dimensionedto cooperatively engage the water cooler independent of the size of theopening.
 3. A portable evaporative cooling system as set forth in claim1, wherein the support structure includes a housing and a base portiondisposed below the housing, the housing supporting the fan and the baseportion being sized and dimensioned to cooperatively engage the watercooler.
 4. A portable evaporative cooling system as set forth in claim3, wherein the base portion includes a plug shape portion and the watercooler includes an opening sized to receive therein at least a portionof the plug shape portion.
 5. A portable evaporative cooling system asset forth in claim 4, wherein the water cooler is substantially barrelshaped and includes a round shape opening and wherein the plug shapeportion comprises an inverted frustoconical shape portion that isadapted to fit into the round shape opening.
 6. A portable evaporativecooling system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the base portionincludes a shoulder and the water cooler includes an opening having aperimeter which is sized to receive the shoulder thereon.
 7. A portableevaporative cooling system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the sprayingsystem includes a water pump in fluid communication with the watercooler for drawing water therefrom.
 8. A portable evaporative coolingsystem as set forth in claim 7, wherein the pump includes a bypass valvecoupled between an inlet and an outlet of the pump, wherein the bypassvalve provides a leak between the inlet and the outlet when a pressureat the pump outlet exceeds a predetermined level, thereby preventing thepump from turning off due to the reaching of a cut-off pressure andmaintaining the pressure at the outlet substantially constant.
 9. Aportable evaporative cooling apparatus for retrofitting with a watercooler, the cooling apparatus comprising: a fan for generating a path ofair; a spraying system for dispersing water in the path of air generatedby the fan for evaporation thereof; and a universal support structurefor supporting the fan and spraying system, the support structure beingsized and dimensioned to cooperatively engage the water cooler.
 10. Aportable evaporative cooling apparatus as set forth in claim 9, whereinthe support structure is sized and dimensioned to cooperatively engagean opening in the water cooler.
 11. A portable evaporative coolingapparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein the support structureincludes a housing and a base portion disposed below the housing, thehousing supporting the fan and the base portion being sized anddimensioned to cooperatively engage the water cooler.
 12. A portableevaporative cooling apparatus as set forth in claim 11, wherein the baseportion includes a plug shape portion, at least a portion of which fitsinto an opening of the water cooler.
 13. A portable evaporative coolingapparatus as set forth in claim 12, wherein the plug shape portioncomprises an inverted frustoconical shape portion this is adapted to fitinto a round shape opening of the water cooler.
 14. A portableevaporative cooling apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein the baseportion includes a shoulder that rests on a perimeter of an opening ofthe water cooler.
 15. A portable evaporative cooling apparatus as setforth in claim 9, wherein the spraying system includes a water pump influid communication with the water cooler for drawing water therefrom.16. A portable evaporative cooling apparatus as set forth in claim 15,wherein the pump includes a bypass valve coupled between an inlet and anoutlet of the pump, wherein the bypass valve provides a leak between theinlet and the outlet when a pressure at the pump outlet exceeds apredetermined level, thereby preventing the pump from turning off due tothe reaching of a cut-off pressure and maintaining the pressure at theoutlet substantially constant.
 17. A portable evaporative coolingapparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein the spraying system includesone or more misting nozzles disposed downstream of the fan and in thepath of air generated therefrom.
 18. A portable evaporative coolingapparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein the spraying system includesa manifold and one or more nozzles extending therefrom, wherein themanifold and nozzles are attached to a radially extending supportstructure to permit radial adjustment thereof.
 19. A portableevaporative cooling apparatus as set forth in claim 18, wherein the oneor more misting nozzles comprises a plurality of nozzles and theplurality of nozzles are equally spaced relative to a cross sectionalarea defined by the path of air generated by the fan.
 20. A portableevaporative cooling apparatus as set forth in claim 18, wherein themanifold conveys the water in equal amounts to the nozzles.
 21. Aportable evaporative cooling apparatus for retrofitting with any of avariety of different size water coolers, the cooling apparatuscomprising: a fan for generating a path of air; a plurality of mistingnozzles disposed downstream of the fan for dispersing water in the pathof air generated from the fan for evaporating the water; a housing forsupporting the fan and plurality of nozzles; a water pump for pumpingwater from the water cooler to the plurality of nozzles; a universalbase portion for supporting the water pump; the base portion beingdisposed below and connected to the housing and being sized anddimensioned to cooperatively engage any of the variety of different sizewater coolers.
 22. A portable evaporative cooling apparatus as set forthin claim 21, wherein the pump includes a bypass valve coupled between aninlet and an outlet of the pump, wherein the bypass valve provides aleak between the inlet and the outlet when a pressure at the pump outletexceeds a predetermined level, thereby preventing the pump from turningoff due to the reaching of a cut-off pressure and maintaining thepressure at the outlet substantially constant.
 23. A portableevaporative cooling system, comprising: a water cooler having anopening; means for providing cooling, said cooling means being operativeto draw water from the water cooler; a plug adapted to fit into theopening of the cooler and connect the cooling means thereto.
 24. Aportable evaporative cooling system as set forth in claim 23, whereinsaid cooling means includes a pump in fluid communication with the watercooler.
 25. A portable evaporative cooling system as set forth in claim24, wherein said pump includes bypass means coupled between an inlet andan outlet of said pump for providing a leak between the inlet and theoutlet when a pressure at the pump outlet exceeds a predetermined level,thereby preventing the pump from turning off due to the reaching of acut-off pressure and maintaining the pressure at the outletsubstantially constant.